Method for creating markings on a planar textile body

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for creating markings on a planar textile body and a thread-like body for carrying out said method. According to the invention, a method for the creation of markings on a planar textile body, which will survive all following process steps and permits a clear marking of position on the textile surface can be achieved, whereby, during production of the planar body, a thread-like body ( 15 ) is included, which comprises a support ( 16 ) with a filament ( 17 ) wound around said support and whereby said support is divided into marked zones ( 18, 19, 20 ) and mark-free zones ( 21, 22, 23 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing markings on atextile fabric and a thread-like structure used for this purpose.

[0002] A method for tracking textile product webs by a plurality ofproduction steps is known from the individual conference report:“Textiltechnisches Seminar, Textile Messtechnik, (Textile TechnologySeminar, Textile Measuring Method), ETH Zurich, St. Gallen, CH, Nov. 26,1998, pages 1 to 4”, wherein markings are incorporated into the productweb, allowing relative determination of position. In the process, themarkings are produced by incorporating at least partially electricallyconductive yarn. For this purpose very flexible and break-resistant wireis used which, in portions, is spun with cotton into a yarn. Themarkings formed by the electrically conductive yarn portions aredetected in a capacitor which determines the yarn portions by thechanged capacity between the capacitor plates.

[0003] A drawback of this known method is that it is very difficult tospin short portions of wire of this type. This means that these portionsinevitably comprise a certain length which leads to the markingsproduced in this way being indistinct and covering whole regions.Moreover, they can only be detected by a capacitor and this represents alimitation within today's current broader detection systems.

[0004] The invention, as characterised in the claims, therefore achievesthe object of providing a method for producing markings on a textilefabric which survives all the following processing steps and allowsclear marking of positions on the textile fabric.

[0005] This is achieved according to the invention in that according tothe method, during production of the fabric, at least in one edgeregion, a thread-like structure is included, consisting of a supportaround which a filament is wound, the filament dividing the support intomarking zones and marking-free zones. The filament in the marking zonespreferably has, measured per unit of length, a high number of windingsand, in the marking-free zones, a comparatively low number of windings.The winding around the support is produced by controlled fancy twistingof support and filament, the division into marking zones andmarking-free zones taking place by control of the fancy yarn doublingframe used. The thread-like structure is included during production ofthe fabric preferably by weaving into the fabric. The filament consistsof an electrically conductive wire, the diameter of which is smallerthan the diameter of the support and in the marking zones itsubstantially forms mutually adjacent windings on the support. In thetextile fabric, in at least one edge region, a thread-like structure isprovided, consisting of a support around which a filament is wound andwhich divides the support into marking zones and marking-free zones. Ina woven fabric the thread-like structure is preferably woven into thecentral region of the so-called edge.

[0006] The advantages achieved by the invention are in particular that amethod is provided with which faults in the textile fabric, for example,can be indicated by a position reference which can be traced back evenafter a plurality of processing steps. Processing steps of this type areknown, for example, by names such as scorching, desizing, mercerising,bleaching, washing, drying, etc. The filament may be formed here in sucha way that the markings achieved therewith can be detected bothcapacitatively and visually and therefore measuring processes known fromthe measurement of yarns can be used. The method according to theinvention can be used, in particular, also in conjunction with processesand devices for inspection of the products and in the process, forexample even after weaving a woven fabric, can be used to reliablyrediscover detected faults even after processing of the product web,although the detectability of the fault has changed in the meantime.

[0007] The invention will be described hereinafter in more detail withthe aid of an example and with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is an illustration of a textile fabric,

[0009]FIG. 2 is an illustration of a thread-like structure used thereinand

[0010]FIG. 3 is a signal course with markings.

[0011]FIG. 1 shows a portion 1 of a textile fabric, such as, forexample, a woven fabric, with a so-called edge 2 on which markings 3, 4,5, 6, 7 have been applied which are continued in imaginary lines in thetransverse direction of the fabric 1. These markings 3 to 7 are achievedin that a warp thread is woven into a thread-like structure according tothe invention. As a thread-like structure of this type can also beincluded as a weft thread, markings are produced, represented by lines8, 9, 10, 11, 12, although in reality there are obviously no lines, butonly markings on the edge of the relevant structure. Imaginary lines 8to 12 of this type may usually also be defined by the mass of spacings,as the fabrics do not usually change their original size in thetransverse direction and are usually cut according to their length.However, it cannot be assumed that the fabric is divided by the markingsinto a plurality of fields, such as for example field 13. As in thisprecise field 13 there is a fault 14, this fault can also subsequentlybe traced at any time, proceeding from the markings.

[0012]FIG. 2 shows a thread-like structure 15 according to theinvention, consisting of a support 16 and a filament 17 wound around thecarrier 16. In the process, marking zones 18, 19, 20 are produced and,therebetween, marking-free zones 21, 22, 23 which can form markings 3 to7 (FIG. 1) in the fabric 1. It can be seen that the number of windingsof the filament 17 on the support 16 is substantially higher in themarking zones 18, 19, 20 than in the marking-free zones 21, 22, 23. Inthe marking zones 18, 19, 20, the windings of the filament 17 arelocated next to one another, practically without a gap.

[0013]FIG. 3 shows a signal course 25 with striking deviations 26, 27,28 etc. as can be produced by the markings 3 to 7, etc. in the fabric 1when the edge 2 traverses a suitable measuring apparatus such as, by wayof example, a measuring capacitor.

[0014] The mode of operation of the invention is as follows:

[0015] Firstly, a thread-like structure 15 has to be produced accordingto the invention. For this purpose, a yarn or a twisted thread is taken,for example, as the support 16, comprising a diameter, such as the yarnor twisted thread also comprises in the fabric 1 to be marked. A wirewith substantially smaller diameter is used as the filament 17, so itcan easily be wound onto the yarn or twisted thread. Mentioned here asan example is a yarn with 30 tex as support and a copper lacquered wireof about 0.08 mm diameter as filament. The support 16 is preferablyconnected to the filament 17 in a fancy yarn doubling frame of knownconstruction, the filament being processed as the fancy twisted threadis conventionally processed, but with the particular feature that thetake-off speed of the support 16 is controlled in such a way that it isalternately fast and slow. During the high take-off speed, themarking-free zones 21, 22, 23 are produced with a very large pitch ofthe windings, and during the low take-off speed, the marking zones 18,19, 20 are produced with very small pitch of the windings.

[0016] The thread-like structure 15 is then incorporated into thetextile fabric 1 during production thereof. In the case of non-woven orknitted fabrics it is included. In woven fabrics it is woven in as warpthread approximately in the centre in the edge 2, or optionally includedadditionally in an end region 24 as a weft thread. Thus the fabric nowhas markings spanning a virtual matrix along lines 3 to 7 and 8 to 12 onthe fabric.

[0017] The markings 3 to 7 on the fabric can now be scanned by meansknown per se, such as are known from yarn testing, in other words byoptically or capacitatively working sensors 29 moved relative to thefabric 1 as shown by arrow 30. For visual scanning a coloured filamentis desired and for capacitative scanning, a metal filament is desired.Particularly advantageous therefore, is a coloured metal wire, forexample a so-called copper lacquered wire, i.e. a copper wire lacqueredin colour on its surface. The markings now produce a characteristicsignal course 25 (FIG. 3) with striking deviations 26 to 28 in asuitable sensor 29, these deviations 26 to 28 being fed to a processorwhich carries out a suitable evaluation, for example in that it numbersand stores consecutive deviations. The signals may then also be relatedto faults 14 on the fabric 1, so specific signals or numbers are thenassociated with the fault. These are, however, purely expert measureswhich can be carried out in the most varied ways and are therefore notshown in detail here, as they do not impinge on the core of theinvention.

[0018] There are obviously also various possibilities of forming themarkings with the filament; for example, an equal number of windings mayalways be provided in the marking zones or the number of windings may begraduated according to the criteria to be preset and markings may beapplied to the thread-like structure, which markings are to beassociated with various categories. However, it is also conceivable toconstruct a binary code by suitable selection of the numbers ofwindings, so each marking is unique in comparison to the other markings.Two filaments, for example with different diameter, can therefore bewound onto a support, thus forming main and secondary markings whichbring about deviations with different amplitudes in the detected signalcourse.

1. Method for producing markings on a textile fabric (1), characterisedin that during production of the fabric, at least in one edge region (2,24), a thread-like structure (15) is included, consisting of a support(16) around which a filament (17) is wound, the filament dividing thesupport into marking zones (18, 19, 20) and marking-free zones (21, 22,23).
 2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the filamentin the marking zones, measured per unit of length, comprises a highnumber of windings and a comparatively low number of windings in themarking-free zones.
 3. Method according to claim 2, characterised inthat the winding around the support is produced by controlled fancytwisting of the support and filament.
 4. Method according to claim 1,characterised in that the thread-like structure is included by weavinginto the fabric.
 5. Method according to claim 3, characterised in thatthe division into marking zones and marking-free zones takes place bycontrol of the fancy yarn doubling frame used.
 6. Thread-like structure(15) for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterised inthat the filament consists of an electrically conductive wire, thediameter of which is smaller than the diameter of the support. 7.Thread-like structure according to claim 6, characterised in that thefilament in the marking zones substantially forms windings which aremutually adjacent on the support.
 8. Thread-like structure according toclaim 6, characterised in that the filament is designed as a copper wirelacquered in colour.
 9. Textile fabric, characterised in that, in atleast one edge region (2, 24), a thread-like structure is providedconsisting of a support around which a filament is wound, dividing thesupport into marking zones and marking-free zones.